


Dancing out to the Moon

by cyaninja



Category: Naruto
Genre: Emotional Baggage, Fix-It, Hurt/Comfort, I was aiming for smut, M/M, and got something else instead, but don't worry, smut will happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-03-31 06:43:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13969539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyaninja/pseuds/cyaninja
Summary: Obito didn't intend to survive, nor did he intend to find something new to live for. Life had a morbid sense of humor, though.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! I've wanted to write KakaObi smut for some time and I'm also a huge fan of "Obito lives" AUs which led me writing this story. I'm going to publish it in 3 different chapters starting now. Don't expect anything too original since this isn't intended to be anything but a happy ending we never got.
> 
> On a side note, I was really tempted to use 'I posted this instead of having a coffee break' tag. There were, in fact, several other tags that felt kind of accurate, like 'I used paper and colored pens while proofreading this' and 'Omg, what happened to my one-shot?' 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy the story! (:

There wasn't much sense of touch in Obito's right arm. It was numb to the point that ripping it off and replacing it with a new prosthetic was a relatively painless process. With that being said, it didn't mean that the artificial limb was entirely incapable of feeling a thing. Sensing pressure and temperature to a certain degree was still possible and the first thing Obito had registered was that someone was holding his hand. It was unexpected and foreign but also weirdly soothing.

Obito felt a finger brushing his skin, indicating that the person next to him had noticed Obito being somewhat conscious. 

”Why am I still alive?” Obito groaned as he opened his eyes which in retrospect wasn't the best possible idea. The light coming from somewhere above was bright and Obito could already tell that his eyes had been shut for quite a while. He was able to still make out a figure sitting right next to him. Kakashi's presence wasn't really too surprising.

”That's the question several medics have been wondering,” Kakashi replied. His tone was as calm as it always was but the slight concern was still there.

”So, let me guess, you had a bet with them and now you're about to be rich? You're welcome. I totally woke up just for that.”

Kakashi's smile was forced but at least he was making an effort.

”I'm glad that you did,” he said.

It was only at this point that Obito noticed how gentle the touch placed on the back of his hand was. Kakashi's skin was warm and his fingertips felt surprisingly soft considering the fact that he had been shinobi for past two decades. Handling sharp objects from day to day basis usually meant hardened areas on one's skin but Kakashi seemed to have avoided the most apparent side effects. Maybe it was a result of him being always careful and planning every move ahead to avoid unnecessary injuries or maybe fate itself was fond of Kakashi's ridiculous attractiveness. Either way, a touch that wasn't meant to kill was something new and pleasant. 

Obito found himself being mesmerized by it. Everyone who managed to touch him usually just ended up dead. Thinking it that way was probably a bit grim but it was the truth and verifiable facts were rarely pretty.

”How long have I been out?” Obito forced himself to ask. He had a feeling that the answer to the question wasn't going to be encouraging.

”A couple of weeks.”

Obito nodded which also turned out to be a mistake. He could help but grimace when he realized that every muscle in his body felt sore. The closest description Obito could give the sensation was that his insides had been replaced with burning jelly. Then again, the ache was well deserved and Obito was painfully aware of it even though his memories were still vague and he couldn't tell for sure what had happened. He tried to pull himself together and get up but the attempt wasn't too convincing and the next thing Obito knew was that he had landed on Kakashi's chest face first.

”You know that you're supposed to let me just hit the floor, right?” Obito asked. He hated feeling so weak and dizzy. It was pathetic and embarrassing.

”Maa, I don't think that would help your recovery,” Kakashi assured as he helped Obito to lay back down. ”It's surprising that you managed to move even that much.”

”Being half dead and on the verge of painkiller overdose doesn't equal paralysis,” Obito pointed out. His voice came out a bit more biting than intended but after years of deliberate isolation interacting with other people was hard. 

Kakashi didn't seem to mind too much, though. He chuckled a bit instead and this time it was genuine.

”All I'm saying is that you should take it easy for now.”

Obito bit his lip. He didn't know how to deal with being treated like a decent human being. Sure, such care and gentleness felt good but those were also things Obito didn't deserve. He had been beyond redemption ever since the day he had put on a mask and taken Madara's name. 

And when it came down to Kakashi, things were pretty complicated. He was the last person on earth who should've looked at Obito with warmth in his eyes. 

”It's not like I can do anything but to stay still,” Obito finally muttered, tired and sluggish. Whatever poison was put through his system was working just fine in terms of making him incredibly drowsy. Fighting against it was getting harder and harder and no matter how much Obito wanted to keep his eyes open, the exhaustion got better of him after a while.

Besides, the light in the room was awful to look at.

”I don't get it,” the words just came out of Obito's mouth. ”Why are you even here?”

”I got lost in the road of life and ended up right next to you,” Kakashi offered cheerfully.

”That's an awful excuse,” Obito stated. He didn't bother to hide a smile, though.

”But it's true,” Kakashi maintained.

”The road of life should probably lead you to someplace important,” it wasn't a real question but Konoha was probably in chaos due to the aftermath of the war which meant that jōnins in general were needed to handle certain tasks. Considering the fact that Kakashi was a well-respected shinobi and capable of coping pretty much in any given situation, him being at the hospital seemed kind of strange. 

It was highly unlikely that Konoha let one of its best to sit around and wait for a coma patient to wake up without a good reason.

There was this pause in the conversation that spoke for itself. Kakashi was always careful with his words but even after all years, Obito could easily tell when a moment of silence wasn't just Kakashi being his slightly socially awkward self. 

”Maa, this is exactly where I need to be right now” Kakashi finally said. He was apparently determined to continue with the bullshit. 

Obito cracked one eye open to glare at Kakashi. He was starting to drift out and it was probably mere stubbornness that kept him somewhat conscious.

The light in the room was still awfully bright and unpleasant to look at. 

Obito wasn't still satisfied with the utter nonsense but he was also ready to give into the painkillers. All the questions could wait for another day. 

It was hard to think straight while being heavily intoxicated.

Maybe there wasn't a real need for any answers.

Besides, a part of Obito was just happy to have Kakashi there by his side after all that had happened. Things were pretty far from being okay and fixing them completely was going to be impossible. But then again, it seemed that Kakashi was willing to meet Obito at the halfway which was much more than a psychotic mass murderer could ask for.

”You're going to stay, right?” the filter between Obito's mouth and brain was broken beyond belief but Obito was too tired to be even ashamed and most importantly, he was high enough to not give a damn. He simply hoped that Kakashi knew how sometimes all one could possibly need was some reassuring crap.

”Of course,” Kakashi responded. He didn't need to keep the promise and he probably was aware of it.

Obito smiled as his mind began to drift off. He felt himself growing heavier and reality began to fade. Still, Obito could register Kakashi stroking his cheek lightly, tracing the scars with his fingertips. The way Kakashi touched was delicate, almost respectful.

Accepting and intimate.

Time was slowing down.

Kakashi's touch lingered and it filled Obito with certain lightness inside. Was it joy? It was hard to tell since most feelings Obito ever felt were nothing alike. He wasn't supposed to experience such a pure emotion since he simply didn't deserve it but maybe, just this once, it was okay. Obito could feel his own heartbeat and for the first time it occurred to him that there was a chance that recovery wasn't granted; that this life could still be over.

Obito's chest felt tight and time had stopped.

Or perhaps it was just his heart.

Either way, Obito could feel life leaving his body. He wasn't going to cheat death any longer.

The noises from the world outside leaked through the veil of haziness every now and then but the key element of slumber was silence. Obito could hear Kakashi having a few words with someone whose voice Obito couldn't recognize and the words barely made any sense. He found it easier not to listen too closely. The newly found state of being almost immune to external stimuli was getting almost comfortable.

That was until the memories started to come back.

At first, they were just pale shadows and flickering motions.

However, even if these memories were vague, they were real enough to contain emotions. Living through all of them once again wasn't something Obito had particularly desired. He had despised the world long enough only to find out how such hatred did nothing but eat him alive.

But the old anger was still there.

When the connection between the body and the mind was cut, it wasn't too evident. It was just an odd sensation of being twisted inside instead of the tremendous sense of power Obito was used to feeling. He wasn't sure whether it was something he could truly let go.

Visions from the battlefield started to become more vivid.

So vivid Obito could've counted the bodies he had left behind.

He had caused an incomprehensible amount of death and destruction and claiming it was unintended would've been just a big fat fucking lie.

Sure, the allied shinobi forces had been given a chance to surrender without a fight but Obito had known all too well that something like that wasn't going to happen. He had been just seeking a way to justify his actions and his desire to watch the world burn. The gravity of it started to sink in again slowly but what was truly sickening was the fact that Obito still could feel the remains of odd satisfaction that he had felt while watching the body count to grow. None of them had deserved any of it or at least that was something that Obito wanted to believe.

A part of him didn't and it never would.

And yet somehow it was him who got away alive. 

The reality was indeed a pitch black hell.

Obito hadn't even meant to survive the war he had started. He had known that there was simply no hope left for someone like him and that had been the case ever since the day Rin had died. It wasn't just that the unfairness of this absurd reality nor the unfairness of it all. It was simply that there hadn't been anything left to live for. Obito hadn't been even sure what had kept him going. Revenge couldn't bring back what was taken and a part of him had always known that fixing the world was something one couldn't do alone. The only possible reason was something that Obito had simply rejected because the thought had been simply too painful to entertain.

Obito had been fully aware that Madara wasn't just going to let someone carry out his work without a backup plan. Thinking otherwise would've been naïve. 

The existence of the curse mark that Madara had placed on Obito's heart hadn't been really that hard to figure out. Obito had had his doubts since the start and being unable to control Ten-Tails fully had been a dead giveaway. Later Madara himself had admitted everything in Kamui's dimension and that wasn't something to haunt Obito. He just couldn't help but wonder was the curse mark the reason why he hadn't given up altogether. Of course he had only himself to blame for what he had done but one of the curse mark's known abilities was to prevent an individual from committing a suicide. Maybe the curse mark had kept Obito in denial somehow from even thinking about a possibility that had been dreadfully obvious.

Rin had died because of Obito and that had been Madara's plan all along.

That awful smile wasn't ever going to leave from Obito's field of vision. He could still hear Madara's words over and over again, playing like a broken record.

Perhaps the biggest flaw of this reality was that Obito was born. Without him Madara would've found another Uchiha bastard to ruin and in that way things would've been different for Rin and Kakashi. They could've lived long lives and found happiness of some sort. 

Obito really wished that this time he wouldn't be able to open his eyes again and that there was still something left to salvage for those who had survived. 

But the comfort of being almost dead was now fading away.

The noises from the world outside were back and this time they were clear enough to be understandable. A heart failure sounded almost ironic considering the fact what Obito's heart, or it remains, had already been through. 

Obito could hear his heart beating again, loud and irregular. His chest felt tight like it was about to explode and he could feel a sense of panic that was caused by the inability to breathe. He should've really stopped that but it was hard to fight against basic instincts. The need for breathing was just too overwhelming and Obito hadn't enough control over his body to stop himself from gasping for air. He hated himself for it. He was supposed to be dead by now.

_Stop breathing._

It was said that once close to dying one could their life flashing in front of their eyes and it wasn't an entirely false claim. Death wasn't a stranger to Obito and he had sworn not to cheat it any longer. He hadn't tried to do that in the first place. He had been ready to go eighteen years ago and he had been ready for it ever since he had failed to bring the Eye of the Moon plan to its end.

And there were the flashes.

Obito could feel a warm breeze and hear wind moving through the long grass. He could see dim, pleasant light but nothing more. It hardly mattered, though. He could tell that this memory was the one he held most dear. This was afterlife and gods, how badly Obito had wanted to stay. This was one brief moment right after he had truly died and met Rin despite everything. She had told him that his failure didn't matter; that it was alright and that she had forgiven.

Memories from the afterlife hadn't been there when Obito had first woken up only to find out that he was alive and not hanging upside down from a prison ceiling for whatever the reason.

_Stop._

The irony was that Obito had tried returning to help Kakashi for the one last time and it had worked out. Probably Death itself was now given up on Obito. That was a reasonable explanation why Obito was still breathing. He tried to recall the moments after coming back. His soul had been possessing Kakashi's body when Kakashi had been dragged down back to earth from some weird ass dimension. 

But at that point, Obito's body had been already destroyed. It had disintegrated for sure – but also, he had felt how it had been rebuilt from ashes as his soul had been separated from Kakashi. Maybe there had been too much chakra used in the transmission. Too much power had unfortunate side effects.

_Just stop._

Obito was couching and the peaceful feeling was gone. Instead, his lungs were on fire and everything just fucking ached. There was even this awful metallic taste of blood in his mouth which was always the first depressing sign of survival. 

”Well, fuck me.”

”Maa, I don't think you'd actually like that,” Kakashi's voice was speaking again. Of course he'd be there when Obito was verbalizing his inner thoughts.

”You seriously need to get a life, Bakashi,” Obito informed. ”Or are you assigned to watch me sleeping?”

Kakashi sighed deeply before speaking.

”You were in pretty bad condition,” he avoided the rhetorical question which had only one explanation.

”So, you are literally assigned to this shit,” Obito said.

”Very few people were suited for this task.”

”Right.”

”Technically it's an S-rank mission.”

Obito had his eyes closed but it didn't stop him from rolling them. He wasn't impressed but then again, at least Kakashi was going to get paid well.

”Yeah, nothing's more intimidating than a man who can't even move a muscle,” Obito said. He was wise enough not to give it a try this time. ”Now that I think about it, it's kind of weird.”

”What do you mean?”

”Right now there must be a couple of individuals who'd like to see me dead including some of the medics. Yet no one has done anything about it,” Obito explained. He finally opened his eyes to meet Kakashi's gaze.

”You're not wrong,” Kakashi admitted.

The light in the room was still a way too bright and Obito was starting to question his sanity. It was almost like he could see a way better than he was supposed to. He wasn't in a good enough condition to activate his Sharingan but he was certain that chakra exhaustion was the only limitation.

”My chakra isn't sealed,” Obito noted. ”And the only reason that is the case is that doing so would probably kill me. The only question left is why am I kept alive.”

”You did help to save this world,” Kakashi pointed out. He had at least five different flat tones and this one was the one he used every time he wanted to avoid conversations.

”After nearly destroying it,” the words just slipped from Obito's mouth. He wasn't even trying to draw blood but old habits weren't that easy to get rid of.

Kakashi sighed. He took Obito's hand into his own which was a pretty familiar gesture now. It was also somewhat confusing and a part of Obito wanted to test could he slip through the touch but another part of him wanted this to last. He really shouldn't have let it happen. The way things were headed was worrying at its best.

”No one can deny that,” Kakashi said after a good while. ”But what's done is done. There's no point in wallowing in it,” he was probably trying to be sincere.

”That's bullshit and you know it.”

”Well, I'm glad that you're alright enough to be insufferable,” Kakashi sounded like he was ready to give up. He suddenly looked thoroughly worn out.

Obito studied the expression carefully. He didn't know what exactly he was hoping to achieve by this. It would've been incredibly stupid to assume that Kakashi was going to open up the slightest. The truth was that there was too much guilt and pain for that. In fact, it was kind of unfair that Kakashi out of all people was given the mission to assure that whatever Konoha was planning to do with Obito wasn't going to be interrupted. Kakashi simply didn't deserve to have his wounds ripped opened again. However, if one thing was certain it was that the villages didn't care too much about shinobis serving them and that was pretty much what had caused the problem in the first place. If only had Konoha not advertised the idea that one's first priority should be always the faceless community instead of individuals…

Well, it wasn't too wise to go down that road again.

Kakashi had been returning Obito's gaze the entire time. Every word he had said had been vague at best but that hardly mattered. His eyes were expressive enough.

It was said that eyes were the mirror of the soul and while Obito thought that maybe the claim was an awkward overstatement, he could see the point. The look in Kakashi's eyes told everything. He was disappointed, heartbroken and angry. Why wouldn't he be? Obito knew all too well how much Kakashi had been suffering. He had been there listening to the endless apologies in Konoha's cemetery and he had made the choice to ignore it. The reasoning for it had been that in another reality things would be different and this reality hadn’t been counted. It had been a rather shitty reasoning and there was no excuse for that. More than that, Obito had never wanted to see Kakashi like that, no matter what he had been telling himself from time to time.

”Look,” Obito had to find something to say. Maybe there was still a part of him that wasn't just very good at seeing someone so vulnerable. ”I know that I screwed up and that I hurt you along the way. Saying that I'm sorry isn't going change a thing and it probably doesn't mean much but I'm sorry, I really am.”

There was a long pause but the touch lingered. Obito felt like turning away. He swallowed and tried to keep his own expression somewhat unreadable.

Kakashi nodded finally after what had seemed like forever.

”It means something,” he said like he actually meant it. Could be that he did. At least the will to do so was distinguishable. ”The best thing to do right now is to accept that neither of us can change the past. Just no more world domination plans or anything that involves taking over shady organizations.”

”Yeah, got that.”

Kakashi didn't believe in that and Obito couldn't blame him.

”What happens from now on?”

”That hasn't been decided yet,” Kakashi admitted. ”No one could tell whether you'd be even surviving. According to lady Fifth, your chakra has been hard to stabilize.”

”Technically I revived Madara, so yeah, I kinda should be dead by now.”

”I'm glad you aren't,” Kakashi wasn't giving one of his bullshit smiles this time which was weird. If he ever said stuff like that he did it in a way that left one wondering whether he was actually serious or just incredibly sarcastic but his gaze revealed everything yet again.

”You really shouldn't be,” Obito managed to squeeze the words out. He hated how shaky his voice suddenly sounded and his eyes were… sweating. Tears weren't the reaction he had been expecting from himself and the whole situation was mortifying. Maybe the awfully bright light in the room could've been a fine excuse but before Obito could speak, he felt a gentle touch on his face.

”Still such a crybaby,” Kakashi informed and it didn't help at all. His hands brushed Obito's cheeks softly, thumbs gliding across his skin and tracing the track of tears.

Obito couldn't find anything to his defense and he was less offended than what he had hoped for. So many conflicting feeling at the same time shouldn't have been possible.

Obito just couldn't bring himself to turn away despite feeling ashamed. He had never known what it felt like to be touched so softly and the sensation was truly addictive and hard to resist. This wasn't meant to be an intimate touch and Obito shouldn't have enjoyed it but fighting against it seemed useless. Maybe the best solution would've been just telling Kakashi that touching was something he probably wanted to avoid but as long as he was assigned to the task, Obito didn't need to make things even more complicated than they already were. 

He needed to pull himself together. He knew all too well that he wasn't suited for feelings and them emerging was something that had to be avoided.

It was ironic how Obito had rolled his eyes for years to the mere idea of apologies. He had always thought they were empty and they had no other purpose than to one feel less guilty about their wrongdoings. Now that same pathetic words were on his lips.

_Sorry._

Over and over again.

And on the top of it all, Kakashi was patient enough to listen.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'll admit that my original intention was to update every Wednesday but editing this chapter took me a bit longer than I assumed it would. I basically ended up changing everything and I'm still a bit nervous since this chapter is pretty important for the character development. I hope that you'll like it! (:

Days had passed quickly and Obito's recovery had been fairly fast. He had heard that lady Tsunade herself was going to pay another visit the next day which was something she hadn't done whilst Obito had been awake. It probably meant that this life was indeed a medical mirror, given the fact how accomplished she was as a medic. Another notion was that Kages usually didn't waste their time on former threats. What they did instead was to pass judgment and get someone unfortunate to do their dirty work. 

Kakashi had been staying the whole time. At least he was dedicated to his mission. If Obito was correct, almost two months had passed. To be honest, Kakashi's presence bothered Obito less than he was willing to admit. He had almost forgotten how good it felt to have a friend to talk to.

”You're staring at me,” Obito noted. He didn't mind too much but Kakashi had been glancing at him almost curiously for the last couple of hours like he had noticed a peculiar, interesting oddity.

”Your hair grows fast,” a statement that vague wasn't a proper answer.

Obito arched his brow. He had been hoping for a little more informative response but then again, making very little sense wasn't anything too unusual for Kakashi. His picture should've been included in dictionaries right next to the word _ambiguous_.

”And you're noticing this because of what?”

”It's very hard not to,” Kakashi replied.

”So, it grows back black?” Obito had no idea why such a petty little matter made him feel something he hadn't felt in a long time. It wasn't happiness, nor was it excitement but it was some level of feeling a bit better than usual which was new and admittedly needed. Although Obito had finally regained his ability to move, all the aching had made him too numb to even suffer from deep self-loathing which was probably the best thing he could do right now and in the future. He still wasn't very happy to be alive though it seemed that death was out of the question for now. Konoha simply didn't let people live out of mercy and it seemed that keeping Obito's heart beating had been quite an effort. 

”Yes.”

It had been a while ever since the last time Obito had seen his own reflection. He hadn't meant to look at it but he had been forced to see a glimpse or two of it on the battlefield which had made him painfully aware of the fact that his hair had turned white. 

But then again, forbidden techniques always had side effects and losing pigment was just one of them. When one was powerful enough to pull off such jutsus, physical appearance was pretty low on priority list. 

Obito hadn't cared about petty details in a very long time or at least that was what he had told himself when he had been carrying Madara's name. His face had been cowered for almost two decades to hide his true identity, so ignoring the ugly truth behind multiple masks had been relatively easy. However, now that Obito hadn't had a chance to acquire a new mask – and at this point, it was safe to assume that he was banned from those anyway – he had become irritatingly self-conscious. It was pretty pathetic, really because being vain was a luxury Obito couldn't afford. His face was simply too scarred for that but it didn't stop him from being a bit… relieved? He had liked his hair back when it had been black.

”Okay, I need a kunai,” Obito stated. The hospital room had a small bathroom and there was a decent enough mirror though Obito had covered it for personal reasons. Kakashi hadn't been too convinced about the towel installation that Obito had carefully crafted. Instead, the bastard had actually asked how Obito managed to shave without seeing what he was doing and even when Obito had explained that only stupid idiots needed mirrors to shave their facial hair, Kakashi hadn't been impressed.

”I'm not allowed to give you any weapons,” Kakashi really knew how to ruin a perfectly fine idea. ”Besides, shouldn't you be asking for scissors?”

”Ever since when have you owned a pair?” Obito asked. Every shinobi was carrying a kunai but scissors were a whole different story.

”I guess you do have a point,” Kakashi admitted mildly. ”However, I'm not going to give you a weapon.”

”I feel like I'm a fucking jellyfish, so I'm not going to kill anyone,” Obito said, grimacing. He was getting used to being weak again but the thought of it was still depressing. 

”Maa, many jellyfish are actually quite dangerous,” Kakashi pointed out. ”Also, I think your reasoning might be a bit off and you also should stop rolling your eyes like that. It scares people,” he wasn't wrong about that either.

During the last couple of days Obito had noticed how people were genuinely afraid of him despite the state he was in. A mere blink around anyone but Kakashi was enough to cause notable micro panic which was both entertaining and kind of sad. 

Obito was pretty certain that the most harmful thing his current state allowed him to do was to pinch someone hard and even that was probably a bit of a stretch. With that being said, it was true that the intimidated looks that Obito gained were more or less justified and he wasn't exactly trying to convince anyone that he wasn't a major threat any longer. There was no point.

”Killjoy,” Obito murmured. He knew that Kakashi took the insult the wrong way and was now under the impression that he had just received a compliment. ”I don't like looking like a raccoon.”

Kakashi glanced at Obito thoughtfully before he spoke.

”An adorable raccoon,” they were quite close to each other and Obito had barely even noticed it before. It took a while before the words sank in.

”Right…” it wasn't a question but Kakashi got the idea. At least he smiled and this time it wasn't as pretentious as usually. 

Things had been kind of weird lately. From time to time Kakashi got a little closer than one would expect from a friend. Given the fact that he had shared his vision and his entire body with Obito, a certain amount of bodily contact wasn't outrageous, nor was it that weird but yet, it was a manner that Obito kept noticing quite often.

The worst part was that Obito didn't mind at all.

There were some guidelines every shinobi followed. One in particular was taught pretty soon after entering the Academy; whenever the intention behind an approach was friendly, making sudden moves was not a smart thing to do. After all, one's body was faster to react than one's mind. Many teeth had been knocked out accidentally because of downright stupid carelessness. That's why Kakashi made his intentions very clear when he reached out to touch Obito's forehead lightly. 

Obito had enough time to react and he had also a chance to pull away but he didn't. He was addicted to the way Kakashi touched him and denying that was useless.

Kakashi had told several times that reasoning with Obito was a hard thing to do. Obito usually disagreed but now he found out that he couldn't talk sense into himself. Letting anyone close was risky and Obito wondered whether he felt only the physical aspect of Kakashi's touches or were there deeper emotions to be found. He always came to the conclusion that thinking about such foolish things wasn't worth of possibly discovering yet another ugly truth. The current situation was not far from inconvenient.

Obito was putting himself at a risk of feeling an emotion he shouldn't have felt ever. Why was resisting closeness so hard?

Kakashi's fingers combed through Obito's hair gently and Obito swallowed hard. He was mesmerized. Being touched was a weakness for him and when he was staring Kakashi in the eyes, he realized how long Kakashi's lashes were.

This was a feature Obito had not wanted to notice.

”Yes, totally adorable raccoon,” Kakashi maintained. His words sounded so real, so unfaked that suddenly Obito's face felt hot. 

”Cut the crap, Bakashi.”

”If you keep blushing like that, I might need to kiss you,” Kakashi warned. He was joking, obviously, but he should've known better than that. Obito was never above bad ideas.

And he needed a kunai.

Well, actually he didn't need anything but the mere fact that he was not allowed to have a standard weapon made him want to get one right away. That was just how his mind worked. Rules and restrictions had always rubbed him in the wrong way and Kakashi was offering an opportunity.

Obito was going to get the damn kunai.

”Oh?” he wasn't even sure what was the point he wanted to prove.

”Maybe it will help?” Kakashi's bullshit sounded almost authentic flirting.

And that didn't help at all.

”You wouldn't dare,” Obito claimed and with that, he yanked down the mask that covered the lower half of Kakashi's face.

Why someone looking like that was hiding their face in the first place, was beyond Obito. He had never bothered to ask.

”You're underestimating me,” Kakashi stated.

”Am I?”

”I know what you're aiming for,” Kakashi shrugged.

It wasn't really surprising since Kakashi was far from naïve and he knew how to play unfair too. It wasn't like Obito was the one who had a lot of experience dealing with his enemies in such a conflicting way. However, what Kakashi failed to recognize was his own guilt. He wasn't going to back off simply because he had no heart to acknowledge the facts Obito had already come terms with. It was proven by how determined Kakashi was not to look away; he was willing to put himself in a delicate position because of some twisted sense of responsibility and it was saddening in all honesty but most importantly, it was also annoying enough to make Obito want to show Kakashi where exactly things went wrong. 

”What you know, Bakashi, hardly matters,” Obito said. ”You know why?” there was certainly no going back now. 

Kakashi's fingers still lingered on Obito's hair.

”No, I don't,” Kakashi replied. ”In fact, we'll probably end up disagreeing but I won't mind. So, by all means, go ahead and do share.”

At least he had a backbone.

”You'd be really easy to advantage of,” Obito wasn't usually this straightforward but he was tired of seeing the same old torment in Kakashi's eyes every single day. Such a worthless emotion was going to change a big fat pile of nothing and witnessing its presence ached. It really did. ”You're practically oozing guilt.”

Kakashi barely even blinked.

”Is that what you think?”

”No, I just like to spew stupid shit and see how you react,” Obito replied. His original intention hadn't been to sound so biting but Kakashi had always known how to make him lose his patience. They were like oil and water, so they didn't mix well. ”Seriously, what the hell?”

”Sometimes I can't help but wonder if that's really the case,” Kakashi was as calm and stoic as always. ”You really like making no sense, don't you?” he clarified and he wasn't the only one who felt that way. 

”You should only speak for yourself, Bakashi.”

”Maa, I think we both know that telling others why they're insufferable assholes is much more fun than taking a look in the mirror,” Kakashi said.

Well, if that wasn't a damn good insult then nothing was. Kakashi did have a fair point since usually all Obito could see were flaws.

Flaws in others, flaws in this absurd reality.

But he had never claimed to be anything but a severely flawed individual himself.

Obito let out a joyless laugh.

”That's a very insightful observation, Bakashi,” he hummed. ”But more than that,” he paused for a moment brushing his fingers slowly over Kakashi's lips, ”I'm not wrong either.”

Kakashi didn't say anything. He was letting the situation to escalate which was just a fine example of how his guilt worked. 

If Kakashi had been just stupid enough to think that maybe there was still a trustworthy side in Obito, there wouldn't have been a problem. However, this was not the case.

Kakashi simply chose to ignore what Obito had become because he was just so damn regretful.

Guilty and filled with ugly, hideous pity.

Obito hated it. He didn't need pity, nor did he want it.

”Well?” Obito demanded. 

”I don't think you have it what it takes to get the kunai,” Kakashi was apparently done pretending that the intimacy they shared right now was nothing but an act. However, he wasn't the only one who knew how to blurt out the ugly truth.

”Why? You'd let me do anything,” Obito was playing with fire and he knew it. But then again, the truth was on his side and Kakashi wouldn't be able to deny it.

”That's where we have to agree to disagree,” Kakashi announced. He tilted his head slightly and brought his hand on Obito's scarred cheek. It was a sweet and soft touch, almost subtle and it made Obito feel a tiny blush on his face.

Being touched so gently felt odd.

Addictive.

Obito should've backed off but yet, for selfish reasons, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He looked into Kakashi's steely eyes and felt like he was drowning in Kakashi's gaze.

”Kakashi, I…” Obito cut himself short since. He wanted to tell Kakashi to stop the stupidity already but he also wanted to lean closer. Their faces were drawing near.

Obito's heart skipped a beat.

Things had played out exactly the way Obito had planned and ironically enough, he was taken by surprise.

He wasn't supposed to feel this attracted to Kakashi.

The guilt hit fast.

Guilt.

Maybe it was everything they had left and now they were bound together by it, consumed alive and as much as Obito disliked admitting it, he didn't simply want to see Kakashi's eyes to fill with sorrow and regret every time he thought that Obito wasn't paying attention.

Kakashi's breath tickled Obito's lips.

Kakashi was a way too close now and Obito did nothing.

Their lips finally met and Obito felt his chest tightening before all the nervousness was replaced by a delightful sense of lightness and something that wasn't wise to be named. 

The kiss they shared was beautifully overwhelming.

It was aggressive and tender, dirty and pure. 

Gracious.

It sent shivers down to Obito's spine.

Obito didn't mean to moan into the kiss but he just couldn't help it. This kind of affection was what he had been craving for years and even though he had been able to push his needs aside, doing that while being kissed mindless wasn't an easy task. Sure, responding to it was a mistake – no, actually an astonishingly bad decision – but trying to resist the oddly delightful feeling was useless.

Both of them were out of breath when they pulled apart.

”You had your chance,” Kakashi pointed out. His lips were slightly reddened and there was a tiny flush of color on his pale skin and he still managed to look plain bored. ”But you didn't even try.”

”You're such an asshole,” Obito was shivering inside but it didn't stop him from laying out the facts. 

”Maa, that's not a very nice thing to say, 'Bito.”

”Whatever,” Obito rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to show Kakashi that the kiss had actually been nice. Kakashi had never stopped being a douchebag but nowadays he was a surprisingly tolerable one. He didn't need to know that there was a slight chance that Obito had meaningless, stupid feelings. They would hopefully fade away. After all, Kakashi had deserved none of this bullshit in the first place. If anything, he should've been allowed to finally move along and seeing a ghost from the past from day to day basis wasn't certainly helping.

”Everything okay?” Kakashi asked when he noticed how disoriented Obito was.

”Yeah, I just… Let's never talk about this again, okay?” Obito suggested reminding himself that usually being blunt was the best way to deal with Kakashi.

Well, not that Obito had ever bothered with a more subtle approach.

Why to fix it if it wasn't broken?

”Alright then,” Kakashi agreed. For a moment he had looked like he had wanted to argue but gladly enough, he came to his senses quickly. There was no point in trying to find a reason for pure idiocy.

Before the silence got too uncomfortable, Obito stood and muttered something about taking a shower. A few moments later he stood under the pouring water and felt absolutely horrible because of these newly emerged feelings.

Kakashi had always been attractive as hell and it wasn't really a shocker that a mixture of physical attractiveness and general kindness led to certain inevitabilities. Kakashi had been nothing but kind and gentle ever since the cursed day Obito had learned that he was still alive.

But it was Kakashi.

The same man Obito had witnessed standing on in front of an empty grave begging for forgiveness to someone who had been far from truly dead and had been, in fact, listening carefully, standing quietly in shadows and observing Kakashi out of morbid curiosity. There had been even this sick sense of satisfaction that Obito wished he didn't remember so well.

Now, given the fact that S-rank missions – though one might argue that watching a rather immobile patient was hardly worth the money – were rare, the number of people capable of executing them was low. Obito could see why Kakashi was assigned to this task even though it didn't please him personally and just thinking about what the shinobi system put individuals through was depressing. Given the circumstances, Kakashi should've resigned from the mission but since Konoha would never allow that, the best thing for him was simply to stop caring at all for his own sake.

Obito knew himself just well enough to know already that these thoughts weren't going to fade away, no matter how much he wished that to happen and that was really unfair to Kakashi because he felt attachment. 

He wasn't going to reject those feelings. In fact, he'd probably be willing to go through more misery and that wasn't what Obito wanted.

He should've wanted actually nothing at this point.

Taking advantage of Kakashi's old regrets would've been very natural to do for Obito. The thought had already crossed his mind several times.

Obito wasn't sure what kept him from running the risk. The idea of serving Konoha again was nauseating and it was safe to assume that the village had something in store for him. In short, Obito hadn't attempted leaving and that was very unlike him. He had never been a big fan of order, nor had he cared too much about following any rules, not even back when he hadn't been the public enemy number one.

An obedient, regretful citizen of Konoha wasn't who Obito was. Yet, that was exactly what he had been portraying lately and it was worrying.

Obito preferred to tell himself that all of this wasn't for Kakashi.

But he couldn't help but wonder how things would've turned out if the attachment Kakashi felt for him had been real instead of unneeded, useless guilt. 

It hurt like hell. 

Obito bit his lip and turned the water colder. He wasn't going to fall for Kakashi – no, that was a phenomenon neither of them wanted and developing warm feelings was simply too dangerous.

But the earlier kiss was still lingering on Obito's lips, reminding him tauntingly that such things weren't for him to decide.

Kakashi was kind enough not to bring up any unpleasant topics when Obito finally got out of the shower. He was reading a book which created a polite illusion of not too awkward silence.

Later that night Kakashi asked kindly for Obito to behave in lady Tsunade's presence. Obito didn't make any promises. For the first time, he felt genuinely worried for himself. Selfishness was the core of human nature and not even becoming a monster hadn't changed that.

Konoha had been kind enough not to seal Obito's chakra but there was a good chance that something far more sinister ahead. For example, removing one's eyeballs was a relatively easy procedure. Obito himself knew how to do it. He had done it several times.

”Kakashi?”

”Mm?”

”I don't want to be blind.”

Saying such a thing aloud was beyond narcissistic. Obito knew that he was already given much more than he deserved but it didn't make the thought of being unable to see any less frightening. He didn't dare to look Kakashi because he had a feeling that Kakashi had yet another pained expression on his face and it wasn't the image Obito wanted to remember for the rest of his life.

Actually, this life wasn't what he had wanted in the first place.

Kakashi had been avoiding physical contact ever since the earlier incident but he was ready to forget the awkwardness. At least he took Obito's hand into his own. This was again the kind of touch that made Obito's chest tighten.

”It's going to be alright,” Kakashi had really learned the importance of reassuring bullshit by now. ”Look, I know what you think about the Kages and what you think about Konoha in general but from what I can tell, lady Tsunade is a reasonable woman. Having a little faith in people won't always end up in tears.”

Obito swallowed hard and forced himself to smile even though his expression probably ended up resembling a particularly ugly grimace.

”I never knew you were a closet optimist, Bakashi.”

”Maa, it's called common sense,” Kakashi told cheerfully. ”You should try it some time.”

And suddenly the world was a little less shitty place.

When the morning came, Kakashi blindfolded Obito and dressed him in a straight jacket.

”C'mon,” Obito complained when he heard a clanking sound of chains. Despite feeling anxious, he had a great urge to make a very distasteful joke. However, he figured it would've been still a bit too soon.

”Safety measures,” Kakashi explained. ”This arrangement won't be permanent.”

Not that it mattered much.

Kakashi was assigned to guard the walk.

Obito's nausea grew and grew by every step.

The hallways sounded empty. The route they were taking was probably evacuated which was probably just another safety measure but being seen as a major threat never stopped being strange. Obito didn't feel like a dangerous person since his entire body trembling.

He felt pathetic for being scared.

The walk took an eternity.

”It'll be fine,” Kakashi muttered as they finally stopped. His hand had been on Obito's shoulder the entire time, mostly for guiding purposes but it had been nice and comforting.

Kakashi gave a tiny pat on Obito's back before a door opened and they entered a room that Obito assumed to be the main office.

”Uchiha-san, please have a seat,” well if that tone wasn't as formal as fuck…

Kakashi helped Obito to find the chair and sit down.

Being assisted while blindfolded made Obito realize how much the rest of his life was going to suck.

”According to the medical team you may be released in a couple of days,” Tsunade started her speech.

Obito bit his tongue and nodded. His first instinct was to say the rudest possible thing that popped into his mind but Kakashi's reassuring squeeze on his shoulder made him rethink.

Right, no need to be disrespectful.

”In order to do so, some safety measures need to be taken,” Tsunade continued. By the sounds of it, she was writing down notes.

Obito hoped that this wasn't a psychological evaluation. He was never going to pass.

”Of course,” Obito's tone wasn't exactly friendly but he was trying not to sound too sardonic and he almost nailed it.

”Normally your chakra would be sealed away but since in your case doing so could have unpredictable side effects, my medical team has come up with another solution.”

In other words, Konoha needed more power to guarantee that it would be still strong enough to be on top whenever push came to shove. Other villages had lost their main sources of power which had probably led them to increase their defenses by new means and it was very troublesome to Konoha.

Obito arched a brow. It was a way too early to be relieved but now there was a slight chance that maybe – just maybe – there was hope left for his vision.

”Desperate times need desperate measures,” Obito stated. He able to prevent himself from being obviously rude. He couldn't tell was it Madara's voice that echoed in his speech or was it him just being slightly pissed about the system.

Maybe both.

”We've created a tracking jutsu in order to keep your whereabouts. Naturally, no more information can be given,” Tsunade told.

”How impressive,” Obito used the most polite tone he could master and it ended up sounding spiteful. He felt another squeeze on his shoulder, pretty tight this time. Kakashi's hand felt colder than usual which implicated that the meeting was going too well. ”I assume that there are some conditions for this arrangement?” Obito decided to swallow his pride. It wasn't going to hurt anyone.

Expect being entirely at Konoha's mercy was mortifying.

”We'll see how you adjust first,” Tsunade said. ”But yes, if these arrangements turn out successfully, you're expected to serve Konoha like any other shinobi born and raised in the village.”

That was pretentious from a woman who had left the village to drink and gamble.

Obito bit his lip.

”And what if I don't agree on those terms?”

Tsunade remained silent for a while.

”I hope you're smart enough to understand that agreeing to the terms is your best interest now,” she finally said.

It was a well put threat. Obito could've maybe appreciated it in another life.

”Alright then.”

”If you have any further questions, you may speak them now.”

”I've got none.”

”Very well. I'd advise you not to try leaving Konoha without permission.”

It wasn't like any other person unlucky enough to be born inside the shinobi system was advised to leave. However, now that such a weird little detail was mentioned, the whole picture was clear.

”So, what kind of explosive do you implant?” Obito couldn't help but ask. Maybe he was a bit curious since nothing that wasn't a permanent part of him wasn't going to do the job and he had demonstrated quite clearly how removable curse marks were. It just seemed that this jutsu was going to make sure that immobilizing Obito was easy and nothing did the job better than a very violent and rapid jutsu.

”It won't be your concern.”

Obito let out a low chuckle. This mentality was what was wrong in the whole fucked up system; never question anything.

_It won't be your concern._

Right.

That was fucking hilarious.

But then again, Obito was in no position to say a thing.

”Well then, how shall we proceed?”

”That depends on whether you want an anesthesia or not.”

”Your offering is truly kind, but I'll have to pass,” Obito replied. ”Narcotics don't suit me. They make me…” he was interrupted by a slight poke from Kakashi.

_Oh._

Obito was supposed to convince lady Fifth that he wasn't a crazy person, not the other way around.

It would've probably gone horribly wrong anyway even if Obito had tried. He wasn't exactly a stable person.

Whatever procedure took place during the following couple of hours wasn't too painful. It was just miserable and disgusting. Every shinobi - and traitor - was unquestionably familiar with the smell of open flesh and fresh blood but sensing it for long periods of time was just a concept nobody got used to, no matter what they claimed. The fact that the stink of blood was coming from Obito's own body didn't help.

The sensation in his leg was a mixture of reasonably tolerable aching and feeling sticky, warm blood surfacing every now and then. The sounds weren't any better.

Strangely enough, the worst part was having the wound sewed shut. When the needle pierced through Obito's skin for the first time, he actually needed to bite his lip.

He made sure not to even flinch after that.

Kakashi's hand rested on his shoulder the entire time.

Obito couldn't lie to himself. He was grateful to have Kakashi there even though the bastard was probably the main reason why Obito felt such a need to be obedient in the first place. He wanted to be close to Kakashi and knowing it made him feel utterly lost.

Obito wasn't going to change back to the person Kakashi had been mourning for too long. He wasn't who Kakashi wanted him to be and there was simply nothing worth of Kakashi's attachment in him.

Obito's heart ached every time he felt that stupid, gentle touch.

Everything was hazy after the surgery. Kakashi guided Obito back to the room they had spent last couple months in and kept demanding that Obito would at least give a thought to a wheelchair.

Obito limbed all the way out of sheer stubbornness.

The moment he reached the bed he kind of passed out. Maybe that procedure hadn't been that small and simple after all.

When he woke up Kakashi had undone the chains, removed the blindfold and opened up the straightjacket.

And there was a touch.

A light and gentle touch placed on Obito's hand, fingertips running up and down slowly. Kakashi was still there and for a moment, acknowledging that made Obito feel calm and safe. When he opened his eyes he met Kakashi's gaze. It was sorrowful but there was warmth.

Obito swallowed, trying to find the right words.

_I care about you._

Such a childish statement wasn't going to be said aloud.

Kakashi smiled and cupped Obito's cheek in his hand.

”Still dazed?” he asked almost cheerfully. Come to think of it, the room seemed kind of blurry.

”A bit,” Obito grimaced. ”Kakashi, yesterday I…”

What? He hadn't figured out what to say. There was no point in telling that thinking life without Kakashi hurt like hell but that at the same time Obito wanted him to move on, maybe start a bookstore or go on killing spree, whatever was floating Kakashi's boat. 

Anything but this unfair crap.

”It's alright,” Kakashi was probably already thinking that Obito wasn't making much sense, so nothing new there. ”I'm not sure what we're talking about but I didn't mind,” it was almost like a promise.

”I don't think that's how _not minding_ works,” Obito said but he was already giving in. Kakashi had always been stubborn and he certainly was not in the mood to give up whatever this was all about. It was a mystery to both of them at this point.

”Maa, I don't mind that either.”

”You're ridiculous,” Obito complained but that was a trait he didn't mind. It was easy to smile at someone being so sturdy, no matter the situation.

”Only around you.”

”Not sure if that's a compliment.”

”Totally,” Kakashi decided after giving it an obvious thought. If anyone had told Obito that Kakashi would be a total turd, he would've questioned the person's sanity for good. He hadn't expected to be the more serious one out of them two.

But maybe this was just Kakashi's way of saying meaningful stuff.

”Bakashi?”

”Yes, my raccoon bun?”

”I don't want you to hurt.”

Kakashi didn't let go even though his expression got a whole lot of more serious. His eyes sorrowful but they had warmth in them. Maybe there was common ground to be found after all.

”I know that our relationship is complicated,” Kakashi said finally. ”And there's no point in denying that everything turned out wrong in the past. I probably never will stop thinking that way. But it doesn't matter. What matters is that I'd like to give another chance to our… To us.”

”Why?” it was the only question Obito could ask. ”We barely know each other anymore and I'm hardly a person you'd like to get to know again.”

”That's not true,” Kakashi assured. He brushed a few strands of hair from Obito's face before speaking again. ”From what I can tell, apart from the whole world-destroying thing, you seem still like the sweet, whiney, adorable crybaby I used to know.”

”Oh?” Obito couldn't find anything better to say. Instead, he found himself smiling.

That night neither of them got much sleep. They spent it in each other's arms and neither of them had any regrets when the sun came up.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the final chapter! Finally. Sorry for the delay, I really changed my mind on a lot of things and editing this was pretty lengthy process. As always, I hope you enjoy! (:

The life went on.

Well, officially Obito was declared dead but he couldn't bring himself to care too much about it. Konoha had taken an extraordinary risk by keeping him alive and such a dirty little secret couldn’t be public. Spreading the word would've caused only unnecessary tensions. When the village finally made one decision conductive to long-term peace and stability, Obito wasn't going to complain. He had pretended to be dead long enough to know that it was comfortably anonymous. The only difference between this time and the past was that there wasn't a personality to adopt, nor was there a name to be taken. However, Obito had a new cover.

The new tattoo on his arm was itchy. A bitter person would’ve said that Konoha always made sure to brand its property. 

”I'm not sure what it resembles,” Kakashi said as he handed over a porcelain mask. ”But it seemed like something you'd choose, so you'll be the judge.”

”It looks like a kitten,” Obito commented cheerfully. He picked up the mask and studied its feline features and red markings carefully. Kakashi wasn’t wrong; it was a fine choice.

”Are you sure you want to be called Kitten?” 

”I don't care what I'm called.”

”You need a code name that doesn't stand out,” Kakashi pointed out. He had a fair point since Obito wasn't supposed to draw any unwanted attention. ”Also, if this is your conception of a kitten, I'm not sure if I want to have a cat in my apartment.”

”Fine, let's come up with something boring.”

”Something serious,” Kakashi corrected. ”How about Wildcat?”

”Yeah, sounds boring enough,” Obito agreed. He decided to ignore Kakashi's deeply unimpressed sigh.

The mission ahead sounded incredibly boring too. It was to gather up information by searching through the premises Root had vacated since its assumed disbanding and deliver anything found to lady Tsunade. Chances were there was absolutely nothing to be found.

Obviously, the mission was a test for Obito. He was strictly under Kakashi's supervision and it was pretty evident that Kakashi was expected to report the progress to Tsunade herself. 

Obito had decided to learn not to care about that either. He had been always pretty damn good at pushing unwanted thoughts away and the questionable skill was useful now that things were getting even more complicated than before. 

The relationship between Kakashi and Obito had grown to be more intimate than not. They had a silent agreement not to refine the nature of their bond but they slept in the same bed and touched each other like lovers. When it came down to the emotional matters, Kakashi's feelings remained a mystery. Sure, he had shown his softer side but every so often it just seemed shallow. Obito couldn't pinpoint exactly where he got the vibe. He hadn’t found a way to figure out how to make Kakashi spit out the truth either – not yet. The best thing to do was to play along and pretend that absolutely nothing was wrong. It was an act they both saw through but chose to overlook for the sake of simplicity. 

These games ended up in tears and Obito knew it. Being a bit heartbroken constantly was really starting to eat him alive but… 

Did it really matter?

Since Kakashi wanted to play this dumb game, Obito just went along with it. He didn’t want to do soul searching to find out why.

The pretentious fucker still made Obito’s heart skip a beat every time they kissed and the truth was that mostly life with Kakashi had been surprisingly easy. And to be honest, it was hard not to like someone who usually thought alike, was smart, funny and ridiculously good-looking.

Thinking about it always hurt.

Some things just kept bothering Obito and pushing those thoughts away was getting harder and harder. He did try, though.

”Before we go, let's recap quickly,” Kakashi insisted. 

Obito rolled his eyes.

”No acting reckless, no being careless and most importantly, nothing is more scary than an empty warehouse and in the worst case scenario a few of Danzō's former lapdogs,” he listed.

”Right you are,” Kakashi conformed gleefully but there was something a bit off in his voice. It was barely noticeable but Obito had learned the pattern already. The faint shadow of something grim flashed in Kakashi's eyes whenever Obito wasn't taking serving Konoha seriously enough.

_Well, fuck you._

The mission turned out to be the most uninteresting one any shinobi could possibly imagine. The facility Kakashi and Obito checked was empty and there was literally nothing to be reported expect that Root had indeed left. 

“This was expected,” Kakashi spoke in a hushed voice as they walked through an empty space that once had been a laboratory. “I must say that not having to face enemies on your first mission was probably a good thing.”

“So, do I pass my test?” Obito had to ask since the mission was pretty much completed. “I didn’t screw up doing basically nothing, so that’s positive, right?”

“Maa, you’ve got still some time,” Kakashi pointed out. 

Obito grimaced.

“I’d rather not screw up.”

“Is that so?” Kakashi asked. He was half serious which meant that Obito had to dodge a bullet fast. 

They weren’t going down that road.

“Bakashi, I have a tattoo basically saying that Konoha owns my ass. Might as well do something useful for my beloved village,” Obito claimed.

“You’re an awful liar,” Kakashi maintained.

“That’s what pretty much everyone in Akatsuki thought.”

“Don’t bring that up to the Fifth,” Kakashi warned.

“I wouldn’t even consider that.”

“You’re hopeless.”

Obito congratulated himself for avoiding an unpleasant conversation and beating Kakashi in making up total bullshit for once.

Thinking about Konoha and the shinobi system in general was still depressing but the anger Obito had felt before had watered down to mere bitterness and disappointment. He had a zero chance against it anymore. The only way he could resist serving Konoha was to kill himself out of spite and the thought of it seemed kind of pointless, though the option was still somewhat tempting. When Obito had finally got a kunai in his position, he had held the blade on his throat for a good hour before deciding to live out of malice. He had cut the white ends of his hair instead and wondered how Kakashi would feel if he had chosen just to end the misery.

Maybe a bit disappointed if anything.

The way back to Hokage’s office was taking a way too long. Obito could still utilize the power of his Mangekyō but entering Kamui’s dimension came always with a prize of ache. The jutsu lady Fifth had developed seemed to work in two parts and Obito guessed that the first part of it was feeling the jutsu activating inside of his body. The second part was probably something more sinister. Obito wasn’t sure whether he’d ever find out what would happen if he ever decided to materialize in a place he wasn’t allowed to go.

Dark rainclouds decorated the evening sky and the silence was getting really uncomfortable.

_Don’t talk, it’ll make everything worse._

“I don’t want to do this,” Obito hadn’t intended to actually verbalize his feelings. The words had just slipped.

They stopped.

Obito didn’t want an answer. He found himself staring at Kakashi without blinking, desperately waiting for a lame joke to laugh the whole claim away. A reaction like that would’ve been typical. Unfortunately, it almost seemed like Kakashi wasn’t going to respond with his usual bullshit this time around. 

“I know,” Kakashi admitted. He looked at the ground.

“ _I know_?” Obito repeated, almost offended. He had never even once thought that Kakashi was capable of functioning like a normal human being but that statement was a bit too confusing even for the vaguely perplexing bastard himself. “Why do you have to be like that all of a sudden?” Obito asked narrowing his eyes. He had thought they had a deal.

A silent deal, that was.

“You spent years resisting everything Konoha represents,” Kakashi said. “So, I understand. At least I think I do,” his voice was calm and the look on his face exposed nothing, except for the eyes. For the first time Obito noted how drained they were. He didn’t remember seeing the weariness so clearly before but now it was just so hideously obvious Obito had to wonder how he hadn’t noticed it sooner. 

“I don’t get you,” Obito stated. “If I found a way to leave, you wouldn’t follow, would you?” 

“Obito…” 

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine. 

Obito felt a lump in his throat even though he managed to keep his expression blank. 

“It doesn’t have to be,” Kakashi wasn’t really helping. He was plain confusing and Obito wasn’t even sure was he supposed to feel irritated or worried. 

“You’re hiding something,” Obito told calmly. “Something I probably don’t even want to know.”

Now, it was entirely possible that Kakashi was going to report the entire conversation straight to the Fifth and the readjusting experiment Konoha had been running would be classified as a failure. But another option was that Kakashi was just torn between two bad choices and couldn’t decide where to stand. That was the vibe Obito had gotten lately even though he couldn’t still explain it and he wasn’t sure what to do next. He considered the idea of making the decision very easy for Kakashi.

But.

Kakashi inhaled like he was trying to figure out what to say.

“You owe me nothing, Bakashi,” Obito said. “So, save your breath.”

For a while it seemed like Kakashi was going to protest but he had never been much of a talker and the situation wasn’t right for having a meaningful conversation. 

“Alright, let’s pick up the pace.”

A small, very childish part in Obito felt disappointed. He sucked it up and reminded himself that he hadn’t been expecting endless love confessions or anything like that. Kakashi had chosen to serve Konoha ages ago despite witnessing directly time after time how failed and rotten the whole system was. He wasn’t the type to run away, nor was he the type to change the system inside and acknowledging these attributes made Obito wonder what the hell he saw in the asshole in the first place. 

Arriving at the office felt almost relieving. 

Kakashi did the talking.

He started off by telling that the mission was success.

“We found nothing,” Obito interrupted and received a warning look from Kakashi who was convinced that Obito just ended up sounding rude every time he spoke to some authorities. 

Lady Tsunade leaned on her elbows and furrowed her brows. It was her thinking face.

“I have to assign you to another mission,” she said like it was the last thing she wanted to do and maybe it was. It wasn’t really a secret that the war Obito had started had been a disaster for Konoha. The village wasn’t as nearly as stable as it had been and the lack of manpower was real. Perhaps on some level acknowledging such details was fascinating. It didn’t stop Obito from regretting everything he had done but the fact that some sort of change was happening was slightly relieving if not inspiring. The world had needed changes for an aeon. 

A sudden idea popped into Obito’s head. He was too impulsive to brush it off.

“In all respect, I don’t think I’m the best possible person to do anything involving a shady organization.”

The Fifth didn’t apparently feel like answering.

“I’m sorry, he has a weird sense of humor,” Kakashi could try to disregard the point all he wanted but he already knew how useless it was. 

“So far we have every reason to believe that Root is still operating and the threat is real,” it wasn’t the response Obito had been looking for but Obito had just earned a private talk with the Fifth herself which was exactly what he needed. “Root operatives need to be found and in order to do so I need all possible recourses Konoha has.”

And there weren’t many. 

“Understood,” Kakashi glanced at Obito making his disapproval clear.

“Uchiha-san, I’m going to have a word with you privately.”

Obito just nodded. He didn’t turn around to see Kakashi’s expression since it usually indicated nothing anyway. 

A good talk with the Fifth could be informative, though.

When Kakashi was gone, lady Tsunade locked her eyes with Obito’s.

Obito didn’t comment the gesture. There was something very defiant in Tsunade’s posture. She almost resembled a Senju instead of an icon for a failed system. In some other life Obito could’ve appreciated such a person. 

“I’m not going to remind you what happens if you fail to accomplish your part,” those words were carefully picked. 

Obito crossed his arms and kept the eye contact. 

“Why am I here, then?” he asked. His polite tone still needed polishing.

“Why would an Uchiha let someone keep their eye for almost two decades?”

Okay, this certainly sounded like Senju talk and also a wisely picked threat. 

“For practical reasons,” Obito claimed. “No point taking back what’s already given.”

“Do you expect anyone to believe that explanation?”

No.

“Well, eye surgery is complicated,” Obito wasn’t trying to come up with an educated answer. He was probably going to hate what he was about to hear but he just needed to know whether the hunch he had was correct or not. 

“There are many reasons to believe that if you knew someone agreed to take a full account for your actions, you wouldn’t take this conversation so lightly,” the Fifth said bluntly. 

Oh.

Okay.

It made sense.

“I’m not sure why that’d concern me at all,” Obito lied his ass off because he simply could. He didn’t need to be told anything more.

“If that’s the case, there’s no point in further discussion,” the Fifth stated and finally broke the eye contact to glance at some papers on the desk. “You’re dismissed.”

Obito left the office without a word. He felt sick.

Kakashi had already gone ahead which was good because Obito felt like strangling the first unlucky individual who crossed his path. He took a bit too many turns despite the cold wind, avoiding the most crowded streets. Konoha had changed a lot but small alleyways and odd shortcuts were still easy enough to find.

The sky was dark and cloudy. It was getting late.

When Obito finally reached the apartment, he tried to count to ten before speaking.

Kakashi had placed himself on the couch with a book.

“Long talk, huh?” 

Obito marched to Kakashi and snatched the stupid book from him.

“What the hell were you thinking?” he had reached nine.

“What–“ 

“You’re un-fucking-believable. Why’d you ever agree to take accountability for me? That’s insane, stupid and most importantly, borderline suicidal. You’re a complete moron and I really fucking hate you,” Obito hissed. 

“I don’t–“

“No, shut up, I’m not done with you yet. Why would you even consider doing that for someone like me? To make sure I was never going to leave this hellhole again? To serve Konoha even more efficiently? What the hell?” the words just kept coming. “Do you even care about me or was I just another mission?”

An emotion.

Finally there was a fucking emotion on Kakashi’s face. It had taken an eternity but there it was.

Kakashi’s eyes were widened and he stared at Obito in utter dismay.

That was until his entire being just collapsed.

“It wasn’t easy to convince Konoha to let you live,” Kakashi’s voice was weak. 

“What makes you think I wanted to live in the first place?”

“Nothing,” Kakashi admitted. “Nothing implied so. But do you have any idea what it was like to think you were dead for years? And then have to watch you die again? I just… Can you understand that I just didn’t want to go through all of that the third time?”

Those words felt like a hard punch in the stomach. Obito swallowed hard before speaking.

“But even if so, you got yourself deliberately in a very shitty spot and for what? What if I never agreed to serve Konoha again? What if the first thing I did was to try destroying the village? What then?”

“You owe me nothing,” Kakashi used Obito’s previous words against him which was so low that Obito had to roll his eyes. “I’m just tired of losing everyone around me, that’s all. It might be selfish but I’m sorry for making a deal that saved your life.”

“That deal binds me to Konoha.”

“I’m not stopping you from leaving.”

“But you are.”

“How?” 

Obito felt like screaming. Dealing with the bullshit was apparently going nowhere since Kakashi was either completely blind to the obvious or just an asshole. Both options were very possible at the same time. 

“Why do you have to be so fucking dumb?” Obito spat out. “How many times do I need to die for you before you get it?” he hadn’t meant to say the last part aloud but it was too late to take it back.

Kakashi’s face twitched and it took a way too long for him to even blink. When he finally did, the shock was quickly replaced with genuine suffering. 

“Don’t you see the double standard here?” Kakashi asked quietly. “I think your reaction is out of proportion.”

Right.

“You know what, just forget I said anything,” Obito muttered. He was actually done with arguing and it seemed that this was yet another place where common ground couldn’t be found. Walking away like a reasonable person was the best option left.

“I didn’t say it to–“, Kakashi fingertips touched the back of Obito’s hand and the touch was soft and gentle. A part of Obito wanted to give in to it but this wasn’t okay. Kakashi’s fingers slipped through Obito’s hand before he had finished his sentence. 

“Just leave me be, okay?”

Obito didn’t turn around anymore. His chest felt tight and his legs were heavy but this dreadful feeling was something new and therefore difficult to name. 

Leaving was the best thing to do, right?

There was no destination and closing the door behind hadn’t improved things but at least Obito was now alone. He was still in his Anbu uniform, so people on the streets barely took any notice.

These streets weren’t the ones Obito had once walked while he had still believed that there was something worth saving in Konoha. 

Was there?

Thinking about it was probably useless since the decision was already made for Obito.

Even though Konoha had been rebuilt from scratch, navigating through the streets was fairly effortless. The new outline of the village resembled the old one greatly and even if some alleyways were gone and replaced by new shortcuts, there was certain logic behind the way everything was set. Maybe it was something one born and raised in Konoha just knew by heart.

The village had never truly stopped feeling familiar.

Soon enough Obito found himself standing in front of the cemetery gates. He stopped for the first time to ask himself what the hell he was actually doing. Yet, he chose to step inside.

The graveyard had stayed untouched. Sure, it was filled with a bunch of new gravestones but the old ones stood where they belonged. 

_I’ve been watching you all along._

Obito swallowed hard. He wondered if this was actually the first time he visited anyone’s grave without wicked intentions. The concept of afterlife had always been distant and easy to dismiss but after cheating death unintentionally the thought of nobody being truly gone was giving comfort. It didn’t bring anyone back, nor did it make the loss any less painful but maybe it did give much needed hope. Maybe that was what had brought Obito here.

The too familiar tombstone was worn by weather which served as a reminder of how many years had passed since the burial.

Speaking to the dead aloud was risk and standing in front of that particular grave could’ve been a dead giveaway. On the other hand, rational, good calls weren’t exactly what Obito was known for. He felt lost, confused and annoyed with himself.

And so fucking alone.

Things had been different with Kakashi. He had an ability to make Obito forget what solitude even felt like and such closeness had been incredible, bewildering and undeserved. However, big emotions came always with a prize. So strong feelings were dangerously addicting and they always left one craving for more. 

Being an Uchiha and being in love was always the worst. Obito knew himself well enough to tell already that he wasn’t going to do anything about the current situation. Any actions against Konoha would put Kakashi in danger, no matter how much serving the system went against Obito’ own beliefs. Maybe it was a factor Kakashi had failed to recognize but even if so, Obito felt betrayed. Sulking because of it was hypocritical considering Obito’s own treachery but he couldn’t help it. 

A couple of raindrops fell from the sky, leaving dark circles on the weathered stone. 

_I don’t know what to do anymore_ , a mere grave couldn’t hear thoughts and this wasn’t helping at all. _We’re still like oil and water, we just won’t mix and it’s weirdly depressing._

The truth was that Obito had really hoped that part to change. But then again, he had wanted a lot of things that were simply impossible.

The weather was getting worse and Obito needed to go back sooner or later. He was going to, really, but he still felt a bit too hurt. Admitting that even to himself was embarrassing since that didn’t go well with his best attempts to act like a not-an-emotional-train-wreck. It had been surprisingly tough ever since the day Kakashi had uncovered the ugly truth beneath the mask. Dissociating had been the best way to deal with the foulest sides of life and it was hard to figure out what to do without such a luxury. 

Obito stood still as he heard footsteps approaching. He didn’t turn around.

“I thought you might want an umbrella,” Kakashi’s peace offering didn’t exactly impress Obito but it was enough to make him turn around and glance at Kakashi who smiled meekly and offered the said item. 

“I don’t think it will help at this point,” Obito stated but he moved closer to Kakashi, right next to him. There was no point in having them both soaking wet. “How did you find me?”

“Lucky guess,” Kakashi claimed. “Pakkun agreed to assist,” he waved at the general direction of the damn mutt that had a nerve to give a dirty look to Obito.

Being judged by a stupid dog was actually pretty lame. 

If this was an apology, it was a horrible one.

And adorable.

“You’re still an asshole,” Obito informed just to break the awkward silence. 

“I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t. It’s just the way you’ve always been.”

“For hurting you, not being an asshole,” Kakashi specified. “Look, I’m not very good at this.”

“Well, I can almost tell that you’re trying, Bakashi,” Obito felt a bit bad for the other man. Kakashi wasn’t indeed the type to express his feelings like this, so the fact that he was trying meant a lot.

Kakashi chuckled uneasily before speaking again in a more serious tone.

“Back when medics were unable to tell will you ever wake up, I swore to myself that I’d do anything to keep you safe. And that took some convincing. I just… You’ve never had a real chance to live because of me and I just wanted you to have that. Sorry.”

Obito closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

“It’s okay,” he said, voice raw with emotion and he meant it.

“Can I give you a hug?”

“Yeah,” but to be honest, Obito's face was already buried in Kakashi’s neck by the time the word came out.

They stayed like that for a moment before pulling apart, both smiling quietly.

”Sometimes I wonder what she would've thought about us,” Kakashi admitted glancing at the tombstone in front of them. 

”That we're totally pathetic failures?” Obito suggested. He looked at Kakashi and saw a mixture of sadness and amusement.

”I suppose you're right,” Kakashi said. His voice sounded weak but that was entirely expected. Kakashi had loved Rin like a sister and losing someone so close never stopped hurting. 

Despite of being his usual sardonic self, Obito knew what Kakashi was thinking and why he was having his doubts. After all, Rin had never hidden her feelings for Kakashi. Come to think of it, the love triangle in former Team Minato had been absurd. Obito had learned later in life that he had been Kakashi's love interest much longer than he had ever anticipated which kind of made sense in a weird, very fucked up way. Given the fact how Kakashi hadn't been great at expressing himself, his crush had been easy to miss. Besides, it wasn't like Obito had noticed anyone but Rin back then. Now there were even some days when the sweet irony of it felt morbidly funny. 

It had stopped raining and the first rays of the sunrise broke over the horizon coloring the sky red.

”She'd want you to be happy,” Obito decided to be sincere for once. It was an act he still avoided but Kakashi seemed so gloomy that making an exception seemed like a good option. ”She always wanted the best for people around her.”

Saying that aloud hurt. It would never stop hurting. 

Rin had been the reason why Obito had been able to believe that there was reason for wanting the best for the world. This reality was lacking in terms of kindness and good people, it had always been like that. There were still days when Obito wondered how people in general didn't feel more depressed. Maybe this reality wasn't a pitch black hell after all but it surely was harsh and cold. It favored those who were strong enough to be considered valuable and those who managed to get to the good side of corrupted governments. Obito viewed himself as a fine example of this. Being alive simply because Konoha craved for more power was pretty bitter pill to swallow after despising all of that crap for so long but maybe, just maybe, Obito was willing to accept it.

Not only for Kakashi but also because moving on was the most spiteful thing to do towards Konoha and Obito prided himself on being a vicious piece of shit.

And because trying to be happy was probably the best way to value Rin’s memory.

Kakashi squeezed Obito's hand and their eyes met again. 

”Ready to go?” Kakashi asked. He even managed to smile faintly. Needless to say, it wasn't a happy smile but the effort was still there. 

”Yeah, let's go,” Obito agreed.

They were holding hands and Obito found himself not minding too much. No one was around this early anyway and there was still something pretty mesmerizing in the way Kakashi touched Obito. They walked in silence trying to collect their thoughts. Visiting Rin's grave together unintentionally had maybe changed nothing and there was weird, awkward tension between them. Neither of them knew what to say exactly. Maybe that's why they chose to take the long route back home.

Despite of being rebuilt again and again, Konoha was the same. The sound of light breeze rustling through leaves was comforting and familiar. It was weird to feel such inner peace suddenly. 

Eventually the aimless wondering had led them on the top of the mountain overlooking the village. 

”Wanna sit for a while?”

”Sure.”

The dawn was beautiful, Obito had to admit that. He leaned closer to Kakashi and smiled a bit when Kakashi wrapped his arm around him. Watching the sunrise together with Kakashi was something that Obito had never expected to do but then again, life was always a bit strange. If Obito’s life had been a play, it would’ve been a tragedy but staying on the top of that mountain with Kakashi didn’t seem a part of it. Thinking so way was probably naïve and probably this romance would end up in disappointment at best. 

But resisting the enjoyable, floaty lightness in the heart was getting harder and harder.

”Bakashi?”

”Yes?”

”Does this make you happy?” it was the question Obito had been wondering ever since the day they had kissed for the first time. A part of Obito had been dreading the answer but now he just needed to know.

Kakashi glanced at Obito thoughtfully and yet somewhat bewildered. 

”Yes,” he finally replied. ”And that is something you never should doubt.”

”But…”

”Never,” Kakashi maintained as he pulled his mask down and pressed a soft kiss on Obito's cheek after lifting up the porcelain mask.

Obito swallowed hard. 

”It still doesn't make any sense,” he stated.

”Feelings rarely do,” Kakashi pointed out, giving Obito another kiss, this time on the corner of his mouth. ”But the mere fact that you question it so hard is a clear proof that you still have a big heart and that's what makes you beautiful.”

Those words sent shivers to Obito's spine, making his heart skip a beat. Before he could answer, he was pinned down to the cold and wet ground by Kakashi and this time the kiss they shared was anything but soft and moaning in to it was the only thing Obito could do as he closed his eyes and dug his fingers into Kakashi's shoulders. 

Kakashi's lips were soft and his body felt warm. Obito wanted to feel it, he wanted so much more. Things getting this heated hadn't been intentional but now that it was happening, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. 

This wasn't the first they got intimate. Their relationship had been physical for a while but something about it felt different than usual. The way Kakashi touched was rough and possessive, lustful to the point it was almost rude and Obito really liked it. He felt wanted and that was a sensation he had never experienced so strongly. Being kissed absolutely breathless while held tightly against the ground was another thing he had never imagined doing but it was incredible despite of putting him in a vulnerable place.

”Absolutely gorgeous,” Kakashi murmured between kisses and that was enough to make Obito's toes curl. 

”Kakashi… I…” Obito couldn't even articulate at this point. He opened his eyes just enough to see Kakashi's dark, lust filled gaze staring back at him. How could one not blush at something like that? 

The wicked smile on Kakashi's swollen lips wasn't helping at all. He knew how out of words Obito was but more than that, he knew how badly Obito wanted him.

”Maa, no need for begging yet. We still need to get back home, don't we?” Kakashi asked, now aiming for an innocent tone. 

Obito tried to protest but all that came out was just pathetic stuttering. He just wanted to feel every inch of that damn bastard already. With a cry of frustration Obito pulled Kakashi closer one more time and decided to make every Uchiha turn in their graves by using the power of his Mangekyō to send himself and Kakashi exactly where they needed to be which was Kakashi's bedroom. It was totally worth the ache. 

”You're the worst,” Obito informed as he climbed a top of Kakashi taking off his lifted up mask and tossing it on the floor. His legs were already shaky and he could hear the heat in his own voice but Kakashi didn't seem to mind. 

”And you're very impatient,” Kakashi noted, chuckling softly. He pulled Obito closer into a demanding but short kiss before he spoke again. ”But that's alright. Now, let me help you to get undressed.”

And with that he brought his hands under Obito's shirt pulling it up and slipping it over his head. For a slight moment Obito felt very self-conscious. His body was a patchwork, far from pretty and he couldn't tell himself anymore that such a shallow point of view didn't matter. But the moment he felt Kakashi pressing a couple of reassuring little kisses just below his navel, all the shame was replaced with sweet, pure pleasure. Sometimes Kakashi had seemed to be blind to Obito's imperfections, other times he had acknowledged every single scar by looking at them with guilt and warmth in his eyes. The lack of disgust was still something that surprised Obito but then again, what could one expect from a man who was willing to share their life with a convicted war criminal and a former terrorist? Certainly not a good taste.

Obito unzipped Kakashi's flak jacket. His hands were mirroring Kakahi's earlier moves, pulling the other man's shirt off slowly, slipping it over his head. 

Kakashi's body wasn't without its battle marks either. Two long diagonal scars ran across his chest connecting at the middle of his torso. Obito ran his fingers across them. It wasn't exactly an apology, nor was it a promise not to inflict pain ever again. Nothing in this fucked up reality was guaranteed.

Nevertheless, Obito was grateful to have Kakashi by his side even for a little while and to have his forgiveness. It wasn't something that he deserved but rarely anything was about deserving. That was, in fact, an element that made the world unfair but there was also a softer, much more beautiful side to the coin. Being reminded of it was marvelous though accepting it was scary. It still went against everything Obito had taught himself to believe for so long. Yet, once Kakashi rolled them over and pressed Obito firmly against the bed, it was easy to give in the unpredictability of this stupidly absurd reality.

And when Kakashi started going lower, a sharp, pitiful moan escaped Obito's lips. He could feel Kakashi's mischievous smile against his stomach.

”Stop being such a tease, Bakashi,” Obito panted out desperately. He was painfully aware how loud and shuddering that whimper had been. It must've sounded really pathetic.

Kakashi laughed softly.

”But you sound sexy when you moan like that,” he said. ”And I was planning to hear you make those sweet, delicious sounds all night and we're both going to enjoy it very, very much.”

”It's not a night anymore, Bakashi,” Obito protested, rolling his eyes. His face was burning hot now. He had always known that Kakashi was the worst when it came down to dirty talk but this was on a whole new level.

”Too bad,” Kakashi hummed as he opened the button of Obito's pants and pressed another couple of kisses on his stomach. 

Soon it turned out that Kakashi hadn't been exaggerating at all when he had told his plans. He tugged Obito's pants and underwear down, turning Obito into a trembling mess and totally making him moan in the process. 

Loud.

So embarrassingly loud.

But Obito was practically dying to be touched all over and needing Kakashi too much to be truly ashamed.

And Kakashi had still a way too many clothes on.

Obito slid his hands down and unbuttoned Kakashi's pants to slip them down with his boxers. It wasn't smooth and the lack of experience was probably obvious but Kakashi didn't seem to care about clumsiness. His cock was leaking and ready and seeing that alone made it hard not to turn them over and ride Kakashi until they were both gone.

”Gods, I want you so much,” Obito gasped out. ”Kakashi, please…”

”All in good time,” Kakashi assured. ”Let's get you prepared, shall we?”

A sharp, shaky whimper was all Obito could manage. Gladly, Kakashi got the idea. He chuckled quietly before pulled himself to the edge of the bed and opened the top drawer of his nightstand. 

”Spread your legs,” he murmured as he positioned himself on top of Obito again. Obito was happy to comply. 

Kakashi coated his fingers in lube and began circling Obito's entrance slowly. He certainly took his time and it was maddening. Obito jerked his hips up into to the touch impatiently.

”Just… Just do something already,” he pleaded biting his lips to suppress his moans. Kakashi was barely even touching him which made everything just worse. Being this turned on was so uncomfortable it almost made Obito cum right then and there.

”You know,” Kakashi's breath was tickling Obito's ear, ”you're just stunning when you're so aroused.”

 _Just wow_ , Obito thought to himself. He had always been convinced that Kakashi was a closet pervert but now it seemed that this man was beyond hopeless. 

Kakashi finally slid a finger in slowly. The sensation was odd at first but then Kakashi hit something that felt incredible. Obito hissed in pleasure, letting out a few swear words. He had never felt so empty and filled at the same time. 

”You like it?” it was such a stupid question.

”Yes, do it again,” at this point Obito had no shame left. He just really wanted to feel the shivers again and if pathetic pleading was what it took to get them, he was more than willing to _beg_. ”Harder.”

”As you wish,” Kakashi laughed softly. He inserted another finger massaging away the tension and driving Obito crazy in pleasure. Kakashi's slick fingers moved rhythmically, making sure to press that sweet spot every single time.

”Kakashi… I want you in me,” Obito panted after Kakashi had slid the third finger in.

”Sure about that?” Kakashi asked but the look in his eyes told that he wanted to do it already, too. 

”Just fuck me already,” Obito groaned. He was agonizingly hard and also aware how hard Kakashi was. He needed to feel the flesh in him.

Kakashi slid his fingers out slowly to lubricate his cock, leaving Obito so untouched it was maddening.

”Okay, I need you to relax,” Kakashi finally placed his cock between Obito's ass cheeks. Suddenly it felt fucking big against Obito's entrance.

Obito lifted up his ass away from the mattress and swallowed nervously. He really wanted to feel every inch of Kakashi but the fact that Kakashi’s cock was _huge_ and it was a bit worrying.

”Relax,” Kakashi murmured again, pressing his cock against Obito's entrance. His steely eyes were dark and hungry, packed with the warmth that always made Obito's heart to skip a beat. 

Obito simply nodded and inhaled deep. Kakashi's scent filled his nostrils and it was intoxicating.

Kakashi pressed his cock into Obito slowly never breaking the eye contact.

This was the touch Obito had been craving for and what he had refused to ever feel before. It filled him with pure pleasure even though it hurt a little. But it was sweet and delicious aching, not real pain. Perhaps this was what people meant when they said that love hurt.

”Are you alright?” Kakashi asked. His voice was concerned but it still had a hungry undertone to it and that's when Obito realized something; Kakashi wanted him. Not out of guilt, not out of old heartache, not to make up anything – he just wanted Obito.

”Yeah,” Obito said, voice shaking. He still managed to smile. 

Kakashi placed one hand on Obito's hip bone and stroked his cheek with his free hand before leaning closer.

”Good,” he breathed against Obito's lips before giving a tiny, gentle kiss. ”Because I want to make you feel amazing and I want to make you see stars. You mean the world to me, Obito, and I want you to know it.”

”Just keep going,” Obito husked. He wasn't even going to pretend that Kakashi's words weren't affecting him.

They made his heart feel sore.

Kakashi started moving slowly, making sure that Obito was adjusted before he pulled his hips away and thrusted back in. Obito cried out in pleasure and hooked his leg around Kakashi's waist digging his fingers into Kakashi's back. He felt the shivers again as Kakashi's cock slammed into him, giving that sweet spot a good rub.

”Fuck, you're so tight,” Kakashi groaned pulling his hips back again. His voice was thick with lust and he was just insanely sexy panting like that, lips swollen and pale cheeks slightly flushed. ”And so fucking gorgeous.”

Obito could do nothing but to moan. He took a hold of his own hard cock and spread his legs even more wide open.

”Go harder.”

Kakashi didn't need to be told twice. He chuckled lightly and looked down at Obito with so lustful eyes that for a while Obito felt almost intimidated by that look. But at the same time, he liked it. He liked being like that, legs wide open and moaning in a heat. He had never expected to be that way but somehow it just felt so safe and natural with Kakashi.

Their hips pounded together harder and harder, reaching a perfectly common, frantic tempo. Obito could see nothing – nothing but stars as he pressed his heel into Kakashi's ass cheeks and sank his teeth into his neck. But not even that could stop him from practically screaming when Kakashi's cock hit the spot one last time.

The orgasm struck Obito like lightning, sending the most glorious shockwave through his body. His vision faded to black and he was cursing and moaning Kakashi's name while still feeling Kakashi pulsing inside him.

It was like Obito's whole existence was orgasming. Every pleasure point in his body and in his mind were hit and it felt so fucking good he couldn't stop a trembling sob from escaping his lips.

The world dissolved into sweet, pleasurable nothingness.

Soon enough Kakashi collapsed over Obito, pulling away slowly while giving a gentle, reassuring kiss. 

”Everything okay?” he asked as he reached out for something suitable enough to give a quick clean up.

”Yeah, it was amazing,” Obito mumbled. He had no energy left in him and he was grateful that Kakashi was willing to wipe away most of the cum. ”You liked it too, right?” it was possibly a thoughtless, spontaneous and stupid question but it was also something Obito was desperate to know. He was nowhere as nearly as experienced as Kakashi was and it had been probably at least somewhat evident. 

”Of course,” Kakashi said and pulled Obito closer to him. ”How could I not like it with my crybaby loser?”

Obito was almost - but only almost – ready to roll his eyes to the old nickname though it didn't bother him as much as he had always thought it did.

”Bakashi,” Obito murmured against Kakashi's chest. They snuggled in each other’s warmth, both tired and satisfied. This relationship hadn't been the way either of them had hoped for things. They were both flawed, broken individuals with a history that was anything but a healthy start for a romance. But then again, they both wanted it and Obito was finally ready to admit that he was selfish enough to wish the bond last. He knew it was wrong after all he had done and that he would never be able to justify any kind of happiness. But Kakashi's affection was addictive and giving it up served no purpose.

Obito listened to Kakashi's heartbeat. It was getting slower now that they were just lying there, trying to gather up some strength to move. Kakashi probably needed to be somewhere pretty soon but he had adopted Obito's awful sense of time so well that him being late wasn't always happening on purpose.

Adopting such habit to honor someone's memory was stupid and yet Obito was somewhat flattered. How he could not be? No matter how much he had wanted to hate Kakashi in the past, Kakashi's approval had been indeed something he had kind of craved for.

The reason to that was very simple and frightening.

The truth was that Obito had always cared about Kakashi on some level and at some point it had grown into a feeling that Obito was not very comfortable with. He had always been a sucker for affection and that was what he had been receiving from Kakashi ever since the day his mask broke off and he was forced to face the fact that there was still one person left who had never forgotten who he was or had been.

Obito ran his fingers across Kakashi's chest and swallowed. He really felt like saying something stupid and Kakashi seemed to know it instinctively. At least that was what the gentle kiss placed on Obito's forehead indicated.

Okay, screw it. Not saying it aloud wasn't going to change the realities.

”Kakashi?”

”Mm?”

”I love you,” maybe it was just silly pillow talk. It wasn't like Obito was too eager to admit such feelings usually but now that he was high enough from the aftershock of a previous orgasm, saying disgusting stuff wasn't so hard.

Obito wasn't even sure what he was aiming for. He didn't exactly need a response since it was pretty obvious that Kakashi had some feelings and it was enough. Just seeing a reaction was probably what Obito wanted. He knew that quite frankly an Uchiha in love was viewed as a ticking time bomb whom most people knew to avoid like a plague for a good reason. 

Kakashi had his chance to run now.

But when it came down to feelings, Kakashi was surprisingly stubborn. Sure, there was slight disbelief and wonder on his face but those turned into the most genuine smile Obito had ever seen on his face.

”I love you too,” Kakashi said.

Then he kissed Obito hard enough to make Obito moan just a bit.

It took a while before the gravity of the response sank in. 

Okay, maybe Obito had hoped just a little that Kakashi would feel the same but he hadn’t even dared to think about the answer after his little brain malfunction. 

”You do?”

”If you hadn't figured it out yet, I'd say you're pretty thick,” Kakashi told cheerfully, giving a cheeky kiss on the top of Obito's nose. ”But that's alright. I expect nothing more from you.”

And now Obito was totally ready to roll his eyes and even glare at Kakashi. He did so and found himself chuckling just a bit despite the fact that Kakashi was still a complete asshole.

Obito had been expecting nothing from life but being there held by Kakashi made him kind of happy to be alive. He wasn't going to promise that he wasn't going to screw up his third chance but he’d try. 

And that’d be enough since getting lost on the road of life with a companion again didn’t seem that bad after all.


End file.
